


Home Isn't Just A Place

by Aztecl



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Din Djarin Removes the Helmet, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Good Parent Din Djarin, POV Din Djarin, Reflection, Sad Grogu | Baby Yoda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28176636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aztecl/pseuds/Aztecl
Summary: *SPOILERS FOR MANDOLORIAN SEASON 2 FINALE*_____Grogu suddenly felt heavy in his hands, despite being the exact same size as when he had last seen him.The additional weight Din carried was the inevitable goodbye he would have to issue to the kid. Then the Jedi would take him and train Grogu to use his powers and truly harness the force._____Din Djarin's thoughts on saying goodbye.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Comments: 19
Kudos: 156





	Home Isn't Just A Place

Grogu suddenly felt heavy in his hands, despite being the exact same size as when he had last seen him.

The additional weight Din carried was the inevitable goodbye he would have to issue to the kid. Then the Jedi would take him and train Grogu to use his powers and truly harness the force.

However, Din was unsure as to whether or not he could say goodbye. He'd had the kid by his side for so long that it was hard to imagine a life without him. Without a mission constantly a few steps ahead, evading Din and his small companion as they traveled across the galaxy. The hunt gave him a purpose further than just _existing,_ and instead being a _buir_ to someone incredible.

Ignoring the pounding in his heart, Din said, "Are you a Jedi?"

He saw the hooded Jedi lower his hood, extinguishing his illuminated lightsaber. The green color adding to the otherwise drab bridge of Gideon's Imperial ship disappeared instantly, only adding to Din's inner sense of fear. The black hood fell back to reveal a young man with soft blond hair and bright blue eyes.

"I am."

Din made eye contact with the mysterious man and felt his throat tighten. His brown hues met the Jedi's baby-blues, although he knew that that didn't go vice versa.

He realized that his mission was complete. He had returned Grogu. The selfish part of Din wanted to walk away and into the shadows he'd lived in his entire life. But the rational part of him reminded Din that that was selfish. The child deserved a chance to be properly trained for a life much higher than the current one he was living. The Jedi's very being here proved that it was finally the time for that moment.

No matter how much Din thought he'd been ready, it didn't matter anymore. None of it did. He had only gotten the kid back moments ago, and now it was time to leave him with a stranger.

A small cooing sound tickled his ears. He snapped his gaze away from the Jedi and instead at Grogu. The kid stared up at him with those big black eyes, glistening as tears began to build. (Well, wasn't he perspective in terms of reading people's emotions?) His floppy ears hung low, twitching slightly in rapid anticipation. Grogu briefly glanced at the Jedi before reaching up to Din with his stubby hands.

"He doesn't want to go with you," Din observed, feeling his heart skip a beat.

Maybe Grogu would stay after all...

"He wants your permission." The Jedi's eyes twinkled.

...or not. Din chided himself for being so selfish. The kid had a choice to do what he wanted. It wasn't anyone's fault if he chose to leave the Mandolorian's nest in search of knowledge, for his own people and opportunities. Like Grogu, tears pooled in Din's eyes.

And yet, he had known from the very beginning of accepting this bounty that there would be an end similar to this. Din had expected a day when he'd lift the green child into someone else's arms. However, actually seeing the moment in the flesh was heart-aching. It made it all seem so much more real—like Din couldn't deny that he and Grogu had to depart from one another.

There were a million things he wanted to say, but he only managed to choke out, "I'll see you again. I promise."

And that was a promise Din intended to keep.

He didn't have any second thoughts going around in his head as he reached up to remove his oh-so familiar helmet. It had grown more cold and distant after breaking the creed in that Imperial mess hall, and now, it burned hot against Din's head as if it wanted to be removed in the presence of others—for Grogu. The tell-tale hiss was the only sound in the room other than his own heavy heartbeat and his wheezy breaths.

The helmet fell to the ground behind him. For the first time, Din met Grogu's eyes.

He immediately noticed how they weren't actually that black, but instead more of a rich dark brown. Din almost thought he was staring at his own two eyes, remembering Mayfield: _We call him Brown Eyes._ The kid's large eyes reflected his emotions—shock and utter happiness, explosions of joy erupting throughout his tiny body.

Grogu's skin seemed to radiate the color of a pale green. To Din, it seemed more vivid now that he was looking over him with his own naked eyes. The lighting almost tricked him into thinking the kid glowed, sort of like the Jedi's lightsaber. His floppy ears snapped up into points with happiness.

Grogu's chubby lime hand connected with Din's bare face. His touch felt warm and comforting, briefly reminding Din of his old childhood home, before the droids attacked and murdered his parents. He thought of all the times he'd spent prepping meals with his mother, laughing as his father told joke after joke...

It only took a few seconds for Grogu and the Jedi (and a blue and white droid?) to leave the bridge, navigate back to their ship, and then punch into the galaxy, into a new chapter of their lives.

* * *

* * *

It only took Din a few seconds of silence back on the ship to remember the ball.

The silver sphere almost felt like it was burning against his waist. Without avoiding his gaze from the ship's walls, he reached down and pulled it out of his belt pocket. It was the same cool surface he'd remembered from various panels on the _Razorcrest_. But this was different. Din suddenly recalled searching through a crater of debris and smoke for anything that had survived the blast—waves of panic surging through his veins as he poured over the spot where his home had last been.

He remembered the way Grogu had cooed and giggled at the damn thing. The kid had played with it in his hands, even going as far as using his force powers to get it into his clutches. (However, Din would like to forget about the time when Grogu had it in his mouth and he'd been forced to dig it out.)

_"I'll see you again. I promise."_

Din Djarin knew his promise would be kept.

The kid always found a way back to his ball, and maybe Din should take some inspiration from that—a _buir_ would always find their _ad'ika._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not crying. You're crying.


End file.
